Lambeth council are inviting public comments on the latest plans for regenerating two sites neighbouring Myatt’s Fields.
The council, and its development partner London Square, want to develop 49 Brixton Station and 6 Canterbury Crescent — currently used for Pop Brixton and International House — to deliver around 280 new homes, 40 per cent affordable.
If they go ahead, the development will also include workspaces, facilities for street markets, alongside commercial and public space.
Residents as well as businesses and other local stakeholders are encouraged to take part in a series of events from June to September. More details can be found here.
Part of the depot in Myatt’s Fields Park into a new community hub is to be converted into a prestige new community hub.
The new facility – funded by Lambeth Council to the tune of more than £800,000 – will result in new community meeting, cooking and education spaces and provide a much-needed income stream for the park. The work follows year of hard work and lobbying from the resident-run Myatt’s Fields Park project.
The re-development plan includes demolition of the existing depot buildings and replacing them with a greener and more efficient building. The works will transform the space to create:
A 30-seater hall with a kitchen
A foyer overlooking the greenhouse and providing easy access from the street through the new building and to the park.
Office accommodation for the Park Manager
Income from hire of the new meeting space and kitchen.
The council says that redeveloping the park buildings will make the centre more visible and a more attractive hub for community activities. It will also allow the community group to nurture local enterprise.
The current park depot building.
It’s hoped that construction work will begin shortly and finish within a year. The full details can be found here.
Myatt’s Fields Labour councillors Annie Gallop and Paul Gadsby said:
“It is excellent to see this project getting off the ground: we want to pay particular tribute to the hard work of volunteers and local residents who have worked hard over many years to bring these plans to fruition.”
Plans have been unveiled to convert a row of shops on Brixton Road into a block of short-term lets, targeted at what developers call “young renters”.
The “co-living” approach involves residents renting a small apartment while sharing other facilities, including communal areas.
If it proceeds, the plan would see the row of shops at 274-280 Brixton Road rebuilt and converted into a total of 95 rooms, aimed at renters aged between 18 and 40. The new block would also include space for a cafe and other community facilities.
This is the second “co-living’ plan to be unveiled in our area – in February, developers consulted on a similar scheme on the corner of Cancell Road and Eliott Road.
The proposed site on the corner of Robsart Rd
In an invitation to the consultation, Siddo Dwyer, who represents the developers KMP Group – a local company founded in Streatham – said: “Our proposals seek to transform and rebuild an underutilised high street shopfront into an accessibly priced co-living scheme of 95 rooms, featuring large communal facilities, a concierge service, and opportunities to deliver social value through partnerships with local groups, including potential use of a dedicated community space.
“We are aware of the pressing housing challenges faced by Brixton and wider London, where many—particularly young people and some mature professionals—struggle to find secure and affordable accommodation. The co-living concept offers a flexible and affordable alternative, while also fostering a sense of community for its residents.”
The developers have arranged two public displays as part of the consultation process and have published more details here.
Date: Thursday 3rd April Time: 4pm – 7pm Location: The Hall, St John’s Angell Town Church, 49 Wiltshire Road, London, SW9 7NE Date: Saturday 5th April Time: 11am – 2pm Location: The Hall, St John’s Angell Town Church, 49 Wiltshire Road, London, SW9 7NE
Local Labour councillors have welcomed a new consultation on the future of the empty Charles Edward Brook school in Cormont Road.
The building has been empty since 2019 and has fallen into disrepair, prompting local people to launch a ‘Stop the Rot’ campaign to save it from further damage. Now Lambeth Council – which is now responsible for the heritage site – is asking ‘local schools and other interested parties’ for their views on its future.
The consultation, which is limited to proposed possible loss of the long unused playing fields within the site and is required by law, is the first formal step to decide the future of the building.
Local councillors Annie Gallop and Paul Gadsby have been pressing the council to work with the community and take urgent action to prevent the local landmark from degenerating further. They said:
“This is a first step along what is likely to be a long road which might result in the school becoming homes.
“But we continue to press for wider consultation keeping the wishes of local communities at the forefront of the debate”
The beautiful building is in poor repair in part because the Department of Education delayed transferring ownership to the Council for a number of years. It’s estimated that work to simply stop its condition worsening may cost up to £1.9 million, which the Authority claims it cannot fund on its own.
Local Myatt’s Fields councillors have raised objections to proposals that would allow noise from heavy machinery beyond 11pm at night from a light industrial complex on Lilford Road – despite a promise to respect the local neighbourhood by the private business outfit running operations from the site.
The plans for the redevelopment of the old business centre at 61 Lilford Road, which is currently nearing completion, drew considerable public comment when first announced at the end of 2022. Local councillors, and many residents, believed there were positive aspects to the proposals, including a commitment to bring new jobs to Myatt’s Fields and breath life into a derelict site scarred by decaying buildings and anti-social behaviour.
However, the original plans from AG Bloom, the developer behind the scheme, included 24 hour traffic movements to and from the site, as well as the operation of so-called “dark kitchen” businesses from the site. Both were eventually ruled out by the developer following pressure from Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop, as well as local residents and community groups. An outline of the range of restrictions placed on the development by Lambeth’s Planning Committee in June 2023 can be read here.
However, AG Bloom have now submitted a request to Lambeth’s planning department which would allow mechanical equipment, including heavy machinery, to operate on the site past 11pm at night.
Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop said:
“It is incredibly disappointing that after a huge amount of discussion during the early part of 2023, the developer is attempting to unpick important noise protections placed on the development by Lambeth’s planning committee.
“As we said at the time the original proposals were moving through the planning system, there are positives behind these plans, however, they must respect the fact that the new commercial complex is situated in the middle of a residential area. Residents have a right to enjoy their homes in peace and quiet, especially late at night.
“We are putting in an objection to these proposals and will be asking AG Bloom to withdraw their request that will generate late night noise. We would encourage residents to make their views clear through the consultation currently taking place here.“
Artists impression of the new industrial complex at 61 Lilford Road
A range of restrictions has been imposed on the proposed controversial redevelopment of the Lilford Road Business Centre following lobbying by local residents and Myatt’s Fields’ Labour team.
The development is likely to bring new jobs to the area and create a fresh start for the dilapidated buildings at the business centre. There are also proposals to create new green landscaping around the site and install sustainable travel infrastructure for employees, like bike storage sheds.
But many residents were concerned that the original proposals would have allowed delivery vehicles to move to and from the site for more than 100 hours each week which could mean a huge increase in traffic in the heart of a residential area that Lambeth Council has acknowledged is a congestion and pollution hotspot.
The restrictions were imposed by the Council’s Planning Committee at its most recent meeting. Cllr Paul Gadsby told the committee:
“I want to focus my comments tonight on a real concern in the community about an increase in traffic from this application.
“The applicant is proposing a window of 16 hours every weekday when vehicles can move to and from the site: the Council’s transport assessment suggests that peak hour movements will increase by 60%, this will result in hundreds of extra vehicle movements to and from the site each month, perhaps thousands over the course of a year. And while the developer has ruled out pleasingly the use of takeaway deliver firms in response to the community’s concerns, it hasn’t ruled out grocery or other high intensity delivery outfits: this model being pushed by developers across London is causing chaos in other residential areas, like Lilford Road, where residents are subject to increased noise, congestion and pollution, especially from speeding motorbikes.
As a result of the campaign by the community and councillors, the committee approved the application but placed more than 30 conditions on the development to address the community’s concerns.
They included:
Tough monitoring procedures to ensure the applicant abides by the delivery hours approved by the committee.
A requirement for the developer to appoint a “community liaison officer” who would be on call to answer any concerns raised by local residents.
The conditions also confirmed that delivery hours would be limited to 7am to 11pm weekdays – down from the 24 hour delivery window originally proposed.
So called “dark kitchens” (takeway food outlets) would be barred from operating on the premises.
Responding to the outcome of the meeting, Cllr Gadsby said:
“Cllr Gallop and I want to thank local residents, MPs and community groups, including the Lilford Road Action Group and the Brixton Society, for the huge amount of effort they have put into improving these proposals.
“We did not get everything we wanted and would have liked to have seen further reductions in delivery times to and from the site, however, the plans have undergone a lot of change from the original proposals from the developers last year. This includes tougher traffic restrictions on the businesses using the site to rule out the very worst high delivery businesses which are unsuitable in a residential neighbourhood. We acknowledge that the developer has also listened to local residents, with a number of the changes made voluntarily by them following a lengthy period of discussion in the past six months.
“However, we will be watching the development as it progresses. The planning committee spent more than two hours debating the traffic points made by residents and councillors: it is now over to the developer and Lambeth’s Building Control Team to make sure the promises made at the committee are upheld, especially those relating to ensuring there no adverse effects on local roads and pollution from the site.”
Substantial changes to controversial plans to redevelop an industrial site in Myatt’s Fields are being demanded by our local Labour councillors.
The old Lilford Road Business Centre has been the subject of plans for redevelopment from a company, AG Bloom.
While welcoming the idea of bringing new jobs to the area and creating a fresh start for the dilapidated buildings at the business centre, local councillors have been concerned that the proposals to let 24 hour delivery vehicles move to and from the site could result in a huge increase in traffic in the heart of a residential area that Lambeth Council has itself acknowledged is a congestion and pollution hotspot.
The developer has already been forced to make significant changes following a campaign by councillors and local residents.
The threat of a high-intensity food delivery service – condemned as “madness”– has already been headed off. The developer has submitted a revised application that bars these so called dark kitchen outfits from operating out of the new commercial units, and restricts delivery times to 7am to 11pm – a significant change to the original proposals which would have allowed 24-hour weekday deliveries.
But Councillors Gadsby and Gallop say the compromises don’t go far enough and will press their case at next week’s Lambeth Council Planning Committee meeting.
They want further assurances that businesses which move into the Lilford Road Business Centre won’t damage the local environment or leave the local community with a nightmare of high traffic and pollution. They insist that operational hours should be restricted further. They will also urge the council to ensure that landscaping and greening plans are part of the development.
“We will be attending the Lambeth planning committee meeting on Tuesday, 9 May to ask for further restrictions on delivery hours from the site. There are other improvements we would like to see, including more effort from the developer to work with local community groups to enhance the landscaping and greening plans attached to the development.”
The Lambeth planning committee will be taking place on Tuesday, 9 May from 7pm: the agenda for the meeting is here.
Local Myatt’s Fields councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop have raised concerns about plans from a developer to potentially open new “dark kitchens” on the site of the Lilford Road business centre.
The company, AG Bloom, has submitted a planning application to create a new industrial complex on the site, currently occupied by run-down buildings.
While welcoming the idea of bringing new jobs to the area and bringing new life to the business centre, local councillors are concerned that the re-built blocks could be used for so-called “dark kitchens” – set up to provide only takeaway food – resulting in an increase in noise, pollution and traffic congestion in the area. After objections by local residents and councillors, the developer has submitted a revised application which will be consulted on until Monday 20 February: this continues to ask for traffic movement to and from the business centre for up to 16 hours a day.
Local councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop said:
“We recognise that the Lilford Road business centre needs investment and a boost to the local economy would be welcome given these tough economic times.
“We understand that the developer has submitted a revised application following feedback from the community, but unfortunately it still fails to address the core problems with the original plans. According to the revised proposals, traffic movement will still be allowed at a constant pace for 16 hours a day during the week, as well as significant hours at the weekend.”
Cllr Gadsby and Gallop intend to submit a revised objection to the application. You can read the plans for the site and give your comments here.
A public consultation has been launched by a business developer about its initial plans to redevelop the Lilford Road Business Centre.
The site is currently occupied by several industrial buildings which the developer Bloom, which describes itself as a urban warehouse investment and development manager, believes are no longer “fit for purpose”. They are proposing to create a new “industrial estate comprising nine, two-storey warehouse spaces with a single central yard for loading and deliveries”.
Site plan of the proposed new development.
The consultation is designed by the company to test the local’s community’s views about the proposals before a planning application is submitted.
Local councillors, Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop, are urging residents to give their views about the proposals here.
Myatt's Fields Labour 